AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chad stood, rinsed off, and turned off the water. Time to get back to business.
He dressed and returned to the party, but Catie was gone. Amber hung onto him, and she sure was pretty. Her pert little bottom looked darn nice in that red thong.
“Sweetheart,” he said, “how’d you like to have a drink?”
“You’re crazy,” Amber said. “Now you want to be with me?”
“Sure.” He trailed his finger over her shoulder lightly. Funny, none of the sparks he felt when he touched Catie. Still, her skin was warm and soft, and imagining his lips sliding over it was a pleasant image indeed. “Come on, honey. This party’s dying down anyway. Let’s go. I’m not suggesting anything improper, just a drink.”
Amber swatted his hand away from her face. “Are you trying to get me disqualified?”
“Huh?”
“You think I can’t see where this is headed? You sleep with me, and I’m thrown out of the rodeo queen competition. You’re nuts. I’ve worked too hard for this.”
“Aw, hell, Amber, you only signed up last week, same as Catie.”
“Well, it means just as much to me as it does to Catie. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”
“Like what?”
“You’d like to sleep with me and have me disqualified, so your precious Catie can win.”
“My precious Catie? What the hell are you talkin’ about? I was suggesting you and I have a drink together. Nothing more.”
“You haven’t taken your eyes off her all night. The other girls and I, we’ve noticed.”
“Amber, I’m not the only judge.”
“Surely you have some influence over your brothers.”
Chad couldn’t help the boisterous guffaw that flew from his throat. “Honey, I have about as much control over those two as a fly has over a spider. I’m the baby of the family, and they never let me forget it.”
“Still, I’ll have to pass.”
“Fine. Fine.” Chad rolled his eyes. Amber didn’t stoke his fire anyway. He’d truly only wanted some company, not a fuck. There was only one woman he wanted to take to his bed.
He hadn’t yet had enough of Catie Bay.
What the hell he was going to do about that?
* * *
Two days later, Catie and Ladybird waited their turn at the patterns. Amber had already competed, and Catie had been surprised to see that the other woman actually knew her way around a horse. She’d watched with fascination as Amber flawlessly ran the patterns. Amber hailed from San Antonio, so Catie shouldn’t have been surprised. Her horse was a beauty, too—a creamy white Appaloosa mare with brown spots.
But no horse could compare to Ladybird. Ladybird was pure chocolate all over, even her mane and tale. Catie had curried her to a fine shine and had her re-shod a few days prior. She and Ladybird understood each other even though four years had passed since they’d worked together regularly. Once in her saddle, Catie felt she’d never left. Comfy, cozy, and perfect.
When the emcee called her name, she and Ladybird nailed each pattern to perfection. They moved fluidly, as though they were one.
She smiled at the deafening applause from the stands in the arena.
She waved to the spectators, and they cheered even louder. She wouldn’t know her scores until the competition was over the next evening, but that didn’t matter. She’d be at the top of the heap when it came to horsemanship.
She and Ladybird walked
past the judge’s table, and again, she made eye contact with each one. She gave Chad an extra-large smile.
* * *
